Browse: Contemporary style

Art To Evoke Both Sides Of The Mind: Part II

There is nothing I love more than fabulous art.  I am addicted to all kinds and love depth and meaning in them…pieces that make you think or feel.  I prefer to be moved on the left and right side of my brain to think, “Why?” and then care about the answer.  But don’t get me wrong, odd pieces can be great fun.

In the world of modern contemporary art, I think layering is essential.  It can separate the men from the boys, if you will.  Just as it took time to layer the earth to create a living masterpiece, it takes time to layer great art.

To follow are pieces created by a family of painters.  I find them very beautiful.  Can you guess who may have painted what?

If you want more info, give me a shout!

Make it fab!

-Jill

Click here to DISCOVER ALL OF JILL’S LATEST BLOGS FULL OF GREAT DESIGN, TIPS AND INSPIRATION

Got a comment?  Reaction?  Question?  Interior Design question…WWJD? (What Would Jill Do)

Tell me what’s on your mind.  I love hearing from you!

Photos:  Jill Tran Interior Design and Co.

Jill Tran is a Kansas City Interior Designer and creates beautiful, custom interiors for her interior design clients in Kansas City and clients around the country.

Contact Jill

  • Share/Bookmark

Art To Evoke Both Sides Of The Mind: Part I

There is nothing I love more than fabulous art.  I am addicted to all kinds and love depth and meaning in them…pieces that make you think or feel.  I prefer to be moved on the left and right side of my brain to think, “Why?” and then care about the answer.  But don’t get me wrong, odd pieces can be great fun.

In the world of modern contemporary art, I think layering is essential.  It can separate the men from the boys, if you will.  Just as it took time to layer the earth to create a living masterpiece, it takes time to layer great art.

To follow are pieces created by a family of painters.  I find them very beautiful.  Can you guess who may have painted what?

If you want more info, give me a shout!

Make it fab!

-Jill

Click here to DISCOVER ALL OF JILL’S LATEST BLOGS FULL OF GREAT DESIGN, TIPS AND INSPIRATION

Got a comment?  Reaction?  Question?  Interior Design question…WWJD? (What Would Jill Do)

Tell me what’s on your mind.  I love hearing from you!

Photos:  Jill Tran Interior Design and Co.

Jill Tran is a Kansas City Interior Designer and creates beautiful, custom interiors for her interior design clients in Kansas City and clients around the country.

Contact Jill

  • Share/Bookmark

Art For Friday

Anyone who knows me, knows I love art.  I don’t know what it is, but it stirs me all up.  I have painted many pieces myself and loved it so.   Because of that when I study a piece, I enjoy thinking about the artist and how they felt in the middle of creating their art.  Joy, frustration, doubt, happiness, grief, enjoyment?

These are pieces from a recent trip I took to the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City.  The info on the piece, follows the piece.  Let your mind go, check out their other pieces on the links and happy, joyful Friday to you!

Franz Kline:

Mark Rothko:

Neil Welliver:

Wayne Thiebaud:

Fairfield Porter:

Richard Diebenkorn:


Make it fab!

-Jill

Click here to view Jill’s newest tips, advice and inspiration

Got a comment?  Reaction?  Question?  Interior Design question…WWJD? (What Would Jill Do)

Tell me what’s on your mind.  I love hearing from you!

Photos:  Jill Tran Interior Design and Co.

Jill Tran is a Kansas City Interior Designer and creates beautiful, custom interiors for her interior design clients in Kansas City and clients around the country.

Contact Jill

  • Share/Bookmark

More NYC Apartment “BEFORE” and “AFTER” Photos

There is nothing more fun to me than New York City.  The lights, the people, the design.  It is so exciting!

These NYC clients of ours wanted a fun and funky space.  Greens, blues and black…almost a mod look.  They needed a place other than the master bedroom for guest to sleep and wanted the space to be bright and sunny.  I give you, our New York…mod!

Click here to view the first blog in which I shared this apartment with you.  There you can see more “BEFORE” and “AFTER” photos of the kitchen, hall and landing of this cool apartment.


"BEFORE"



"DURING"



"AFTER"



"AFTER"



"AFTER"



"BEFORE"



"AFTER"


WANT TO SEE THE OTHER “BEFORE” AND “AFTERS OF THIS SAME APARTMENT?

Click here to view the first blog in which I shared this apartment with you.  There you can see the kitchen, hall and landing of this cool apartment.

Make it fab!

-Jill

Click here to view Jill’s newest tips, advice and inspiration

Share your comments?  Reactions?  Questions?

Tell me what’s on your mind.  I love hearing from you!

Photos:  Jill Tran Interior Design and Co.

Contact Jill

Jill Tran is a Kansas City Interior Designer and creates beautiful, custom interiors for Kansas City Interior Design clients and clients around the country.


  • Share/Bookmark

New York Apartment, Before And After

There is nothing more fun to me than New York City.  The lights, the people, the design.  It is so exciting!

These clients of ours wanted a fun and funky space.  Greens, blues and black…almost a mod look.  They needed a place other than the master bedroom for guest to sleep and wanted the space to be bright and sunny.  I give you, New York…mod!


"DURING"



"DURING"



"AFTER"



"BEFORE"



"AFTER"



"AFTER"



"AFTER"



"AFTER"



"AFTER"


Click here to view the second blog in which I share this apartment with you.  There you can see more “BEFORE” and “AFTER” photos of the living room and bedroom of this cool apartment.

Make it fab!

-Jill

Click here to view Jill’s newest tips, advice and inspiration

Got a comment?  Reaction?  Question?  Interior Design question…WWJD? (What Would Jill Do)

Tell me what’s on your mind.  I love hearing from you!

Photos:  Jill Tran Interior Design and Co.

Contact Jill

Jill Tran is a Kansas City Interior Designer and creates beautiful, custom interiors for Kansas City Interior Design clients and clients around the country.


  • Share/Bookmark

A Million Grains Of Inspiration

Being a designer, one of the things I crave in life is creativity, inspiration and joy from looking at beauty, art and design.  You will find I talk quite a bit about art and will go to a museum any time I can…though that never seems to be near as often as I would like.  At the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City recently, I turned the corner to find this…

I was ahhh struck…both at it’s size and its simplicity.  I wanted to stand there forever.  This exhibit brings a peacefulness, a calm inside you.  While simplistic in it’s concept, it is joyful.  It carries the Wabi-Sabi rule to a tee, which is something I find fantastic.  It is texture, scale and pattern woven through the feeling of endless beauty.  If you missed Without Place-Without Time-Without Body by Wolfgang Laib in the amazing Bloch Building at the Nelson while it was on exhibition, please study these photos a bit more…it filled the room.  wow.

You can barely see the yellow pollen mounds amongst the rice on the very top photo here.  There are five of them on the left side, about 1/4 of the way down and roughly 5 columns in.

Make it fab!

-Jill

Click here to view Jill’s newest tips, advice and inspiration

Got a comment?  Reaction?  Question?  Interior Design question…WWJD? (What Would Jill Do)

Tell me what’s on your mind.  I love hearing from you!  Click on “Comment” below.

Photos:  Jill Tran Interior Design and Co.

Contact Jill


Jill Tran is a Kansas City Interior Designer and creates beautiful, custom interiors for Kansas City Interior Design clients and clients around the country.

  • Share/Bookmark

Before You Move Art Into Your Home, It Should Move You

People ask me all the time about how to select art for their home.  I have one answer, it must “move” you!

I am not a big believer that art must “match” a room.  One thing I love in a great interior design, is when art stands on it’s own.  It makes a statement.  It tells us something about the owner.  We, as humans, are all multi-dimensional and our art and rooms should reflect who we are.

The photos below are a small series of me looking at a piece I fell in love with at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.  It is privately owned piece by the Kemper family created by Joan Mitchell, is an oil on canvas and untitled…so I guess I won’t be bringing it home (I am wiping a tear…).  I think it is spectacular.  To someone else, it may be the opposite.  Yet, it was teaching me something about myself and what I naturally am drawn to, so the next piece I purchase may be a little different. That is what makes art so great.  Art influences us and makes us feel something.   Doubtful there will ever be one piece everyone will like…and I love that.

DSC_0412

DSC_0413

DSC_0414

The basic bottom lines for choosing art is to purchase only what you love.  If it “haunts” you after you have seen it, then it should be yours (unless the Kemper’s already own it, ha!)  Don’t just purchase to fill a space, fill your soul.

There are many other things to consider when purchasing art of which I will touch on soon.  Stay tune and keep your eyes open for your next great piece.


  • Share/Bookmark

People Are As Unique As Their Domains

One of the things I love most about my job is the people I get to meet, help and build wonderful relationships with.  They are people from all over the Kansas City area and across the nation.  The part I love about each person?  What makes them different from each other, special and fabulous.

Each one is passionate about a different interior style (though they may not even be sure what that style is at first), has different collections from different experiences, unique art, architecture, etc..  Couple those items with the qualities and dimensions of each person, and each design needs to be unique and tailored.  I feel so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life and have the opportunity to express them in so many special ways.

I have a group of living rooms here I think are just yummy…and all very different.  If you could choose one (just one!) that would express you and be the place you wish to live every day in, which would you pick?  Do share!

Pamela Smith

Pamela Smith

Clean and simple with a complexity that is earthy and real.  The oversized arrangement on the table completely changes the lines of the space (and clearly is just that size for the photograph, as it would need to be rearranged for living) and cuts the hard lines.  This space welcomes you with soft grace and reflects a complex, centered person, with a smooth, cool, exterior.

Craig Wright

Craig Wright

This homeowner loves sparkle. Probably within themselves and the friends they choose.  They have an amazing eye for detail and notice thoughtful details others share with them.  They covet small, special things, the history and richness of antiques and probably don’t have small children.  :)

Jill Tran and Co.

Jill Tran and Co.

This room reflects a civilized and fascinating couple that love the richness of velvets, the curves of good design and the warmth that color and wood can bring.  Refined pieces gathered to converse with the undertones of a mountain home, add a distinct charm the homeowners must certainly share.

Sam Trimble

Sam Trimble

Simplicity is a mind-clearer.  This homeowner is no doubt busy and knows that relaxing their mind requires soothing their view.  With just enough color to heighten the senses and excite the space, it is a balance of comfort and interest to allow the people in the room to be the art.

Axel Vervoordt

Axel Vervoordt

The outdoors is no doubt important to these homeowners, yet they love a refined life.  A well-traveled past is emphasized here with the variety of styles displayed, which bring an interesting complexity to the space (as they must also have in themselves).  The art is spectacular in the space with it’s striking size and is what makes this room shine.

Roy W. Materanek

Roy W. Materanek

This space has energy.  No doubt, the homeowner does as well.  The color is warm (I say color and not colors there is one that dominates and creates the strong mood) and there is movement in all forms.  The art over the mantle looks in motion and even spicy like fire.  While I am not fond of the cool and delicate orchids under the sconces, this space would be lovely to sit and drink wine with friends.

Wallace E. Cunningham

Wallace E. Cunningham

Cool, crisp and light.  These homeowners have captured the essence of their surrounding land and created an oasis within it.  A controlled outdoor area  with all the comforts one could dream of.  The luxurious velvet on the tailored sofas give a warmth to the cool color.  I am in love with the repetitionof the ceiling in the highlighted area in which the fire is housed.  Architecture at it’s best…and design at it’s best.  Applause for the fabric on the chairs in the foreground to pull that look to this side of the room.  These owners give off an intelligent design, the feeling of being very well put together themselves, sharp and organized.

Mariette Himes Gomez

Mariette Himes Gomez

The people that live in this space have an appreciation and love for simple elegance.  Clean lines and colors with warm materials give a depth and brightness to this space.  Moving art in repetitive tones are like charms on a pearl necklace…classic yet beautiful and make you look twice.  My guess is the people that love this space and call it their own, have traveled to Europe, admire strength, make solid decisions and are open to ideas.

-jill

Got a comment? Reaction? Question?  Tell me what’s on your mind!

Contact Jill

  • Share/Bookmark

Textures, Leopards and Stripes, Oh My!

I received some wonderful new fabrics in my studio today and had fun putting them in groups.  Can’t decide my favorites…

IMG_8420

IMG_8414

IMG_8406

IMG_8440

IMG_8422

IMG_8429

IMG_8432

IMG_8447

IMG_8450

IMG_8457

IMG_8432

IMG_8466

IMG_8403

  • Share/Bookmark

Highlights From International Furniture Market, Artwork and Lighting

I cannot believe another High Point Furniture and Accessory Market has come and gone.

This enormous, biannual international market is brimming with the latest and greatest from designers and companies around the world.  It is what a runway show is for fashion, only it is for home fashion…and we do all the walking.

The latest furnishings, casegoods, fabrics, accessories, lighting, artwork, rugs, details and ideas, etc. are there on display to sell to the trade.  It is eye candy like you have never seen and takes up building after building from their ground to top floors, for blocks and blocks.

I just adore going.

Here are a few things I thought you might enjoy seeing.  While this is a tiny, tiny amount, it is fun to see what will slowly trickle down to the shelter magazines such as Traditional Home, Elle Decor and Architectural Digest, in the next year or so.  I just snap quick shots with my little camera each time so you can imagine how amazing they are in person…

Enjoy!

IMG_0466

IMG_0464

IMG_8690_3

IMG_0481

IMG_0483

IMG_8637

IMG_8621

IMG_0512

  • Share/Bookmark